Directorate General of Customs (Benin)

The Directorate General of Customs (Direction Générale des Douanes, DGD) is the public administration and customs authority of the Republic of Benin. It operates under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Its official motto, "Se moderniser pour mieux servir" (Modernize to serve better), reflects an ongoing institutional focus on digitalization and improved service delivery. The DGD is responsible for a broad range of fiscal, economic, and security missions, including the assessment and collection of customs duties and taxes, protection of the national economy, and the fight against customs fraud, counterfeiting, and cross-border trafficking. The DGD provides services to both professionals and individuals. Its core operational areas include customs clearance at the Port of Cotonou, at the airport, at hydrocarbon terminals, and at land borders such as Hilla-Condji and Sèmè-Kraké. It also manages scanning operations at the Port of Cotonou, transit procedures, and customs exemptions. The authority has been actively modernizing its procedures, including the dematerialization of leave-pass requests and payments via the Customs Webb platform, and the launch of a data exchange system with Nigerian customs at the Sèmè-Kraké border. Historically, customs duties have been a significant source of revenue in the region, dating back to the Kingdom of Dahomey. The modern administration was shaped by regional integration efforts, notably the creation of the Western Customs Union in 1959. Today, the DGD is structured into entities attached to the Director General, technical directorates, and regional directorates. Its current Director General is Raouf Malehossou Aboudou, in office since June 8, 2026. The DGD continues to pursue partnerships with the private sector and other agencies to secure legal markets and combat illicit trade.

Customs duties have been a source of revenue in the region since the time of the kings of Dahomey. During the reign of King Ghézo, customs posts, known as "dénou" in Fon, were established throughout the kingdom, marking routes used by traders and near ports, rivers, and streams. Royal agents collected taxes at these posts, remitting most to royal officials while retaining a share. Over successive reigns, treaties were signed between the French, present in Dahomey since the 17th century, and the kings. In May 1868, an agreement between the French and King Glélé guaranteed the king protection by France in exchange for ownership of the port of Cotonou; Glélé obtained the right to collect customs duties from the port. After the adoption of the Defferre framework law on June 23, 1956, and the dissolution of French West Africa, the former French colonies in the region became autonomous territories following the referendum of September 28, 1958, forming the new French Community. On June 11, 1959, they created the Western Customs Union to preserve their previous agreements. Under this accord, no entry or exit duties, whether fiscal or customs, were collected on trade between member countries. Goods circulated freely, and states refrained from establishing control posts at their common borders. For external trade, only fiscal duties existing as of March 31, 1959, remained; their modification or the creation of new duties required mutual agreement. Revenue from these duties was distributed quarterly to restore to each state the full amount of revenue due, according to a flat-rate proportion established annually by inter-state joint commissions. Harmonization of internal taxes and tariffs was pursued to avoid double taxation and prevent tax evasion. After independence, the customs administration evolved into its current form. According to Decree No. 2021-455 of September 15, 2021, the Directorate General of Customs is tasked with participating in the formulation of customs policy and legislation; applying customs legislation and regulations and collecting related duties and taxes; protecting the national economy; combating customs fraud throughout the national territory; assisting other administrations, particularly in the fight against crime; determining the tax base and liquidating duties and taxes on goods imported, exported, or in transit; collecting and remitting duties, taxes, and other receipts to the Public Treasury and other beneficiaries; ensuring compliance with prohibitions defined by laws and regulations on the import, export, or transit of certain goods; ensuring surveillance and combating cross-border trafficking; investigating and repressing customs fraud, counterfeiting, and piracy; pursuing and repressing violations of exchange regulations; maintaining international customs relations; and implementing any government decision on customs matters. The administration is headed by a Director General appointed on the proposal of the Minister of Economy and Finance in the Council of Ministers. It is structured into entities attached to the Director General, technical directorates, and regional directorates. Entities attached to the Director General include the cabinet, which manages the secretariat and coordinates activities, and the General Inspectorate of Services, responsible for internal control and inspection. Technical directorates include the Directorate of Information Systems, which handles dematerialization of customs procedures and information processing; the Directorate of Legislation and Cooperation, which drafts regulatory texts and coordinates international agreements; the Directorate of Human Resources; the Directorate of Financial Affairs and Logistics; the Directorate of Operations, Intelligence, and Customs Investigations, which fights fraud, counterfeiting, piracy, and transnational organized crime; and the Directorate of Revenue Centralization, Statistics, and Strategic Studies, which centralizes and controls accounting entries. The current Director General is Raouf Malehossou Aboudou, in office since June 8, 2026.

• Agreement between the French and King Glélé granting the king the right to collect customs duties from the port of Cotonou in exchange for French protection.

• Creation of the Western Customs Union by former French colonies in the region.

• Decree No. 2021-455 defines the missions of the Directorate General of Customs.

• Raouf Malehossou Aboudou takes office as Director General of Customs.

• Beninese and Nigerian customs launch a data exchange system at the Sèmè-Kraké border.

Benin's central customs authority, combining fiscal collection, trade facilitation, and border security under a modernization agenda.

1. 1DIRECTION GÉNÉRALE DES DOUANES – Se moderniser pour mieux servirdouanes.gouv.bj
2. 2Direction générale des Douanes (Bénin) - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org
3. 3Directorate General of Customs - Wikidatawikidata.org